This invention relates generally to agricultural equipment and accessories and, more particularly, to an auxiliary closing wheel for use with an agricultural crop seeding implement so as to more effectively sow seed in both conventional tillage and heavy residue non-tillage seeding conditions.
A seeding implement, also referred to as a seeder or planter, is a piece of agricultural equipment pulled behind a tractor that forms a seed slot on the ground, deposits crop seeds into the seed slot and, in some models, covers up the seed using one or more “closing wheels.” In full tillage seeding—meaning the soil has been tilled to reduce residue from prior crops or from hard soil—the factory wheel works well as there is no residue for the wheel to ride or bounce over and, because the soil has been tilled, it is generally soft and the seed slot closes nicely. However in a no till situation where there is heavy crop residue on the soil surface and the soil is relatively stiff, the factory wheel may bounce over residue and does not have enough weight to properly close the seed slot. Obviously, if the seed slot is not closed adequately, the overall seeding operation may not produce a desired stand.
Various aftermarket devices have attempted to remedy the problem of seeding in no-till conditions. Specifically, spiked closing wheels have been made to replace the factory closing wheels that, in use, push through residue and break up hard soil. Although assumably effective for its intended purpose regarding no-till conditions, the spike wheels penetrate too deeply in conventional till conditions and disturb newly placed seeds. As a result, farmers may have to interchange factory closing wheels and spiked closing wheels regularly.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an auxiliary closing wheel having a spiked configuration that may be mounted to a factory closing wheel so as to efficiently manage seeding in all soil conditions. The additional weight of the auxiliary closing wheel will push its spiked teeth through residue and hardened soil in no-till conditions while the factory closing wheel will provide depth control to the spiked auxiliary closing wheel in till conditions.